Time-Sharing Computer System with Sound Management Preproposal

Time-Sharing Computer System with Sound Management Preproposal

Executive Summary:

Two schools nearArusha, Tanzaniacurrently have multi-seat computer systems that require upgrades. A third school is also scheduled to be added to this project. MichiganStateUniversity, along with support from George and Vickie Rock and the Dow Chemical Company, will continue to support this project in May 2010. The two currently operational systems have 6 sessions running off of a single computer, to save both hardware and power costs. However, these systems do not automatically associate the keyboards and mice with the proper monitors. They instead require a manual input that can be executed incorrectly by students with limited computer experience. The system also periodically crashes when not all of the sessions are in use. It is the responsibility of Design Team 4 to implement a system to automatically associate a keyboard, mouse and monitor to each user station. Team 4 will also bringthe third school online when they travel to Arusha in May 2010. In addition, Team 4 will implement audio capabilities to each station to further the educational opportunities for the students.

ECE 480

Team 4

February 1, 2010

Manager

Webmaster

Document Prep

Presentation Prep

Lab Coordinator

David Wilson

Tim Haynie

Andy Bruinsma

Bret Charboneau

Billy Mattingly

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Technical Section

Customer Needs/Requirements...... 3

Background...... 5

Design Criteria...... 7

Conceptual Designs...... 9

Project Management Section

Project Management Plan...... 11

Costs Section

Approximate Costs...... 12

Resources...... 12

Customer Needs

For the purpose of this project, we are addressing the needs of three small schools near Arusha, Tanzania who have been given access to the internet by previous ECE 480 Design teams. Given the remoteness and lack of funding of these schools, they have been unable to offer the luxury resource of a library for their students that we take for granted here in the United States. MSU, along with the generous support of George and Vickie Rock and the Dow Chemical Company, have essentially given these schools access to the largest and most extensive library in the history of mankind, in that of the World Wide Web.

The current setup, at two of the schools, has computer systems that allow for six different users to operate under one computer. In this way, both hardware costs and power consumption are reduced compared to six individual computers. They currently run the Ubuntu distribution of the Linux operating system, with MDM (Multi-Display Manager) installed to separate each session. The current system works but requires input by the user to properly associate the monitors with their corresponding keyboard and mouse. When the computer is turned on, displayed on the monitor will read “Press the F1 key”. When the student presses F1, they are then asked to click their mouse. Doing this properly will link the monitor, keyboard and mouse for each station. The system, however, has difficulty when not all of the computers are being used at the same time or when students press buttons out of sequence. This can cause the system to crash or have a mouse or keyboard associated with the incorrect monitor.

The team’s goal is to make the association process automatic, and to create this process in a very user friendly manner. These students range from the ages of elementary school to high school and have very limited computer experience. It is also important that the system consumes a very small amount of power and be able to handle the effects of a hot African climate.In addition, a second priority to automatic association is providing sound and headphone jacks to each individual user. If the design incorporates sound in the system, it would of great added benefit to the learning experience of the students in Tanzania.

Background

In the fall semester of 2008, the Lenovo Corporation made the decision to provide an opportunity for ECE 480 students.The students would be able to design a product for underdeveloped Tanzanian schools. The task is to provide low cost, low power usage, and low maintenance solar powered multi-user computers. This system would be designed to overcome the schools’ lack of electricity and telecommunication systems, the harsh climate, and easy to operate for the students.

In previous semesters, two design teams have dedicated their time to provide the requested computers for the Tanzanian schools. The first team successfully designed a system that is powered by solar energy, using solar panels that charge a battery bank. In addition, the team was able to construct a management system that monitors voltages and currents coming from the solar panels and the battery. Also, the system was designed to monitor the temperature in the case that holds the batteries. If the temperature exceeded the safe temperature, the system will automatically shut down.

The second team had a similar task as they were to design a multi-user computer system that would be implemented in a second Tanzanian school.Although the second school is located on the power grid and has electricity, the possibility of unpredictable blackouts caused by the underdeveloped power grid, the team designed an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) to prevent data loss or other system failures. Additionally, the team successfully installed modified antennas on two routers, one at each school. The antennas allow a satellite router to be accessed from one school to another, approximately 2 miles.Originally, the satellite router was installed at the first school where there is not access to the power grid. The second team decided to move the satellite to the secondary school located on the power grid. This relieved power usage from the solar panels at the first school.

This semester, our team is to implement upgrades that work with the previous two teams’ designs. The previous teams’ current designs do not allow the user to have sound output per session. Also, the current designs are structured so that you are prompted to press a certain key on the keyboard and click a mouse in order to ‘pair’ them with the proper monitor. The issue with this is that if a wrong key is pressed or if they are not paired sequentially, the systems fails.

Ultimately our team is to design a similar multi-user computer. We, however, have the challenge of making each keyboard and mouse automatically associate with the proper session, as well as to create sound association at each station. This project will be completed throughout the spring 2010 semester and installed in May 2010 at a third school in Tanzania.

Design Criteria

User Friendly (priority: 4) – In order for the design to be successful, the final product should be relatively easy to understand and operate. The design will be used by students in primary and secondary schools, thus a system too complex will be counterproductive. A main criterion of the design is to simplify the process for its users.

Low Cost (priority: 4) – The goal of a time-sharing computer system is to reduce overall cost. Hardware, software, and power will be shared, meaning overall cost will decrease. The design should be equally cost effective to keep overall price per seat at an affordable rate. This is one of the most important design factors.

Low Maintenance (priority: 5) –By May 2010, MichiganStateUniversitywill have setup multi-seat computer stations in Tanzanian schools. For the majority of the year, these computer sites are maintained solely by the users. Because of this reason, the system must be extremely stable, nearly bug-free, and require very little maintenance other than routine. Due to the distance and cost associated with repairs other than when MSU students are onsite, this criterion is the most important aspect of the design process.

Replication (priority: 3) – A major goal of the design is to allow for future groups and MSU representatives to replicate and understand our system. This will allow for easy repairs and upgrades, as well as, integration of future systems to be added. To assist in this process, proper documentation and pictures will be needed to ensure seamless transition between present and future teams.

Low Power (priority: 1) – Keeping power consumption relatively low and stable will be an important factor during the design process. While it will not be as important of a focus for our team, it is vital that the system will have sufficient power to be provided by solar panels put in place by other teams.

Conceptual Designs

The first design idea is to use the current display in the Ubuntu configuration files, but modify them in order to create multiple user sessions.This display process is referred to GDM which stands for Gnome Display Manager. GDM has several different files associated with it which control how the computer display is loaded. When Ubuntu is booted on the compute, one session will seize the entire graphics card. In order to create multiple sessions, the GDM design method would create virtual, nested sessions inside of the actual session. The biggest downfall with configuring GDM to work with multiple sessions is that this is not the current system that is being used in Tanzania.This means that if we use GDM, we will have to erase their existing system and install this method.
Another option is to use MDM, which stands for Multi-seat Display Manager.MDM is the current system in place in Tanzania. MDM was specifically designed to be used in a multi-seat configuration.Because of this, MDM would needless configuring of existing files.Research shows that MDM is used on Ubuntu; however its use is not common due to lack of supporting documentation.The main advantage of MDM is that because it was designed for multi-seat use, assigning keyboards and mice to each session should be relatively simple. MDM, like GDM, should allow for the expansion of adding sound to each session. To do so, a USB soundcard will be added and configured for each session.
Another possible solution to the customer needs comes partially in the form of a commercially available product from a company called Userful. This company sells and distributes both the software (Userful Desktop) and hardware (Userful Multiplier) necessary for multi-seat capabilities. The Multiplier product allows each user to connect a USB keyboard, a USB mouse, a pair of speakers or headphones, a microphone, and a USB peripheral to his or her seat through the Multiplier. Userful supports both 32-bit and 64-bit computer memory architectures as well as several different distributions and versions of Linux. Userful Desktop also has remote management capabilities in case changes or maintenance needs to be done from a remote location. The product software and hardware are well documented, and the software is automatically updated regularly. Product reviews speak favorably about its simplicity and ease of use. An optional support package is also available for an additional annual fee.

The only major shortcoming of Userful software and hardware is that it does not automate the registration of keyboards, mice, and sound with a particular screen or seat. The user must still press a certain key (e.g., F1) when the system is first installed in order to associate that Multiplier with a particular screen. However once this is set up a single time, this procedure does not have to be done again as long as no USB device in use by the computer system is ever removed and connected to a different USB port. This problem can be overcome by constructing a specialized USB hub to use specifically in conjunction with Userful software and hardware. This device would have to comply with USB 2.0 specifications due to the throughput requirements required by audio applications, but would differ from a standard USB 2.0 hub because it would possess the ability to automatically simulate the correct keystroke for each session.

Project Management Plan

Personnel:

David Wilson
Management
Communicates and coordinates with group facilitator and sponsor
Working with the webmaster to improve website as well as uploading documents

Tim Haynie
Webmaster
Designed initial website and will continue to make changes and upgrades
Work on the software implementation of all three design options
Research for design option 3 and coordination with Userful

Andy Bruinsma
Document Prep
Work on the software implementation of all three design options
Prepare and organize team documents before deadlines
Testing and implementing proposed design solutions

Bret Charboneau
Presentation Prep
Work on the software implementation of all three design options
Testing and implementing proposed design solutions
Prepare team presentations via Microsoft PowerPoint

Billy Mattingly
Lab Coordinator
Research for design option 3 and coordination with Userful
Research and design hardware solutions for automatic registration
Order hardware through ordering coordinator and ECE shop

Resources:

Hardware
One main USB hub
Individual hubs per station
Keyboards/Mice
Monitors
VGA/USB cables and DVI splitters

Software
MDM (open source) or Userful Desktop

Cost

Item / Cost / Quantity / Total Cost
NVS 290 Video Card / $144.99 / 2 / $289.98
Keyboard / $14.00 / 6 / $84.00
Mice / $12.00 / 6 / $72.00
Male DVI to Female VGA Splitter / $2.93 / 2 / $5.86
USB Hub / $10.00 / 6 / $60.00
USB Audio Card / $10.00 / 6 / $60.00
Total / $571.84

Resources